Balloon and method of producing same



July 1l, 1939. n J. F. VBOYLE l nALLooN AND METHOD GF RRoDUcING'- SAME l YFiled Feb. 24; 19346 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented July `l1, 1939 er1-:D STATES BALLOON AND METHOD OF PRODUCING lSAME James F. Boyla'Teaneck, N. J. Application February 24, 193s, `serial No. 65,195

2 claims: (chui- 33) This invention relates generally to lighterthan-air craft and is more especially directed to improvements in the methods of producing and using balloons and similar inflatable devices, tor various purposes and particularly` `asmay be employed for so-called aerial advertising and aerial` displays.

As is well known, signs and` other advertising" material has been carried aloft by balloons of the spherical and elongated designs, iniiated with helium or hydrogen gas. Also, for certain purposes, vthe balloons have taken the form of gro-` tesque of other figures, as characters in lchil- 15 drens stories, the balloonsof these lettertypes l being held captive by hand lines to oat above i those holding the` lines who may be participants i inV a procession or street parade. however, in every instance, heretofore, the balloons, in whatever form they may haveappeared, have been their cost and the limitations that are imposed in their use by iniiation, transportationandhandling requirements.` 2i requisite cubic feet of gas, the envelopes and the gas containers must be of `relatively large dimensions, rendering them unwieldy when collapsedand calling for special iniiation equip-v ment, in addition to providing suitable areas for their preparation for performance., While the 4advantages of so-called balloon advertising are i tising and the use o f aerial display devices, by

"W providing a simple and economical method and t means, whereby the lrequisite vflotation media may be produced, handled and operated with a maximum of 4eiiiciency at aminimum of cost for the results that may4 be attained from Vservices of the kind.

-,More specifically, itis an important` object of. this invention to improve and `simplify the construction of balloons ,as used in they navigation of the `lair and for observation and other customary purposes, as well as for use as sustaining media for advertising and other material and in functioning in aerial displays. l

It is a further object of my invention to re,-

conventional one cell or `single gas bag types of 4 U produced in the unit cell designs and, conse-` quently, their use has been restricted because of Obviously, to contain the y 'duce the cost of production and maintenanceof balloons generally, and particularly those intended for use in connection with aerial advertising and displays, by eliminating the single and relatively. expensive gas container, as in standard constructions, and obviating those diiliculties which are a comcomitant of their use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a balloon that is especially adapted tothe requirements of aerial advertising and display services, which may be collapsed for transporta` tion or inflated and sent aloft in appreciably 10 less time than similar operations may be performed inthe ksingle gas container types, the characteristics of myinvention being such as to facilitate repairs and replacements Withv a mini imum loss of service and small material and labor expense. v

Also, it is a further important objective of my invention toprovide a simplified method of constructing a `balloon to take a form other than that of the conventional spherical andY elon- 20 gated or substantially cigar-shaped types, as in producing replicas of i'lgures of animals, birds, persons and the like, for display, amusement and other purposes," whereby such devices may be more extensively used and will operate eicient 25 ly under atmospheric conditions whichwould render the functioning ofsuch devices, as heretofore produced, unsatisfactory Other objects and advantages flowing from the practicing of my invention'will become manifest 30 asthe description proceeds, and I would have it understood that I reserve unto myself `all rights to the full range -oi equivalents,both in structure andvin use, to vwhich I may be entitled, under my invention, 1n its broadest aspect. 35

For the purposes A,ofithisdisclosure, I have elected to illustrate and describe my invention as it may be practiced in aerial advertising and aerial display services.A It. will beevident, however,`that my invention is capable of numerous 40 other applications in thev Aballoon art, and that this. velectiorifisfmerely illustrative and isnot to be construed,inV any sense, as a limitation of myy invention beyond thev scope of the appended claims'.- 45

Inthe drawings: 1

Figure 1is a viewinr elevation of-a balloon, constructed in accordance .with my invention, the envelope being yof the conventionall approximately spherical form. 50

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1. f

Figure 3 is a view illustrating a method of aerial advertising, a sign being supported bewhich like characters of reference are employed` to designate similar parts in the several views, and more especially to the device of Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, 'I indicates the envelope or outer covering of the balloon which may be of cord or rope net, as shown or other suitable waterproofed or non-waterproof material of the weight and strength requisite for the work which it is to perform.

The envelope "I, is peripherally conformed to provide, in effect, a bag of the conventional spherical shape when distended, as hereinafter describedth'e open end being dened by the depending portions 1a, which may be integral with the body or's'ewn or cemented thereto, to which is affixed, by knotting or otherwise, one end of a guy rope I, the otherend of such rope being secured to the ring or loop 9, which forms a conv course, this particular placement of the'cells or nector common to all of said ropes Aand provides a means'to which the anchoring or main rope IIl may be secured.

r Hydrogen, helium or other gas may be used to render the balloon buoyant in the air, as in existing types. VCarbon-dioxide, which is commercially available in various capacity containers lends itself especially to the practicing of the present inventtion, because of its relatively low cost, ease in transporting and handling and the fact that in lieu of a single gas cell or bag, I employ a plurality of small cooperating containers to impart the necessary buoyancy to the balloon in performing its intended function. 'Ihese gas cells may be of any suitable configuration, as spherical, elongatedor cylindrical or the like. In the present showing they are spherical socalled balloonettes, indicated at II. Each cell embodies means, as a valve controlled inlet I2, for individual inflation and deflation, in any appropriate manner. a

When it is desired to employ the balloon for advertisingA purposes, the aforesaid envelope, whether of net or other material, which is substantially circular in outline,-is spread upon a flat surface and the cells inflated individually,

in proximity to the envelope or ata point remote therefrom. As each cell is charged and sealed, it is inserted within the envelope, the mouth of the latter being gradually constricted as gas-containing spheres are added, until kthe last one is confined therewith, when the envelope will assumeA approximately the peripheral contour shown in 'Figure 1, the balloonettes being retained in close cooperating association therein, as will be clearly evident from Figure 2 of the' drawings. In locating the gas containers within the envelope, they'are preferably arranged in superposed groups, the group in the central zone containing the greatest `number of containers, while the number of containers-in each of the remaining groups progressively decrease toward the top and bottom sections of the envelope. Of

balloonettes may lbe deviated from as may be whetlie'r'a'l net or otherwise.

The balloon is nowread to be sent aloft and the anchor rope I0, towli'ich the advertising banner may have been previously attached, is paid out until the balloon reaches a predetermined altitude. Two balloons, with the banner therebetween, as indicated at I3, in Figure 3, may be em- Dloyed or otherwise. f y

While the gas cells or containers II are'normally independent and may be inflatecio deated individually, it will be noted that each furnishes its proportion of the lift necessary to perconflned cells providing for the normal. expansion thereof within the envelope, inresponse to atmospheric variations. f

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the envelope 'l is composed of fabric, preferably waterproofed, which is cut into appropriat'epatterns and assembled by stitching or cementing to produce the representation of the figure of a dogwhen distended,'the head la.

neck, 1b, legs 'Ic and tail 1d, preferably communicating with the body or main section 1e of the envelope, Similarly, tothe structure of the preceding figures, the replica of thev dog is expanded to the desiredfdegree, bythe use of independent gas containers or cells of spherical or elongated shapes, each, of course, being inflatable and deflatable independently of its associated' cells.

Because of the diiferent shapes and dimensons of the'several components of the figure of the dog, it is obvious that it will be desirable tolikewise employ containers of different sizes and of different shapes in association. For example, in the main or body section, three large balloonettes I4, Ila and Ilb may be used, while in each of the legs the balloonettes are of smaller sizes and gas capacities, as shown at I5, AIlia. and

form a given amount of work. the shape of the ISU. The same is true as to the cells employed in the formation of'the head and nose, while a single cell I6 serves for the formation of the neck. The ears 'If may be composed solely of the envelope material, or they may each have an appropriately shaped cell disposed therein, which is just barelydistended to maintain the requisite flat appearance of the ears in front elevation.

The tail 1d, is distended by a specially shaped balloonette I'I, the gas being introduced to the balloonette through the tube or neck portion I'Ia thereof. Similar means for in flating and deilatvelope may be slit, as at I9, at appropriate points i to provide for the entry of the balloonettes there in in partially inflated condition this slit having an associated ap, stitched or cemented in juxtaposition thereto, vvhich is adapted to be drawn over the slit in superposed relation to the inner wall, it being obvious that it will be'retained in place by the pressure of the cell thereagainst,

when the latter is in functioning condition. In lieu of such flaps, indicated *atV 20, other closures may be utilized, or as previously pointed out all forms of vclosures may be omitted.

In the employment of this form of my invention, the body section is preferably rst distended, by inserting partially inflated cells therein', in the association shown, through the aforesaid openings or slits I9, and then proceeding in like manner with the preliminary dilation of the head and other members of tbc figure. Follow- Y dicated at laa, to which guy or hand' ropes may y be attachedl for carrying the ligure if inflated ing this preliminary inflation, complete innation of the cellsmay be effected and the inflating necks properly stowed within the envelope in the manner heretofore described. lOi? course, the innation operation may be otherwise performed to the rsewith a gas to give it a negative lift or forholding it down if it possesses a positive lift.` Like-V. K wise, as will be evident, the envelope l in either case may be variously colored, thetreatment of the envelope to. render it waterproof or lwater repellent, as heretofore pointed out, eliminating the hazard of the envelope material absorbing moisture and becoming too heavy for thegas develops leakage, the balloon must out. ofservice for a conslderallle` tir'neand the labor involved adds te the -losssuifredbsf the user-.g In addition tcthis, theentire 'charge of gas, r necksgofgsaidcells when inflatedto impart to whether it is hydrogen or heliumis lost, lwith the attendant expense of'y recharging,` while l,the ination Voil a balloonette', in `replacing a vde` l w I jmedialmay belrattached for holding the balloon festive or damaged one,is relativelyiniinltesimal.

Another advantage of the balloonett'es'resides in i preserving the envelope' against rnpture` in the expansion of the contained-gas inresponserto j the heat of the sun or because of altitudegfwith the air spaces between the associated cells or* balloonettes, thereis ample room fortheirgyexpansion, without communicating any `st raln ltd@ the envelopel the resulting distortion of thezfconf tainers from their normally functioning'sihzspe'sv having no :dect upon. the external appearancejy of the balloon or ligure, as the case 'maybe It will be manifest that a predetermined numk-y ber of balloonettes, having a known capacity of cubic feet of gas will provide the buoyancy necesv sary to sustain affixed maximum `load.y Hence,- the effective buoyancy of the balloon may be varied, within such limitsas may be 'essential to meet the requirements of economical operation..

under various basic conditions; 'this of course.

applies to the use of my invention in any of its multiplicity of applications, as heretofore out-v lined or specically pointed out.

Whereareticulated fabric is used, `themesh, f

of course, must be of a size to insure the reten-` tion of the balloonettes' Within their covering in operation. However, in actual practice of my invention, commercially, I have found' that it is preferable to have thelcells independently inflatable and` deflatable. Likewise, this practicaly use has demonstrated the simplicityy in handling, lowy production and maintenance costs and the .practicabilityvof employing carbon-dioxide gas vas the vini'latlng elementtov obtain eiilcient results from the standpoint of both the manufacturer and the user, all of theserbeing objectives 'to which my invention is v directed,` as hereinbefore set( forth.

Iclaim:

1.'A balloonhavingan envelopefformed with f a larg`e body, portion *and relatively smaller por-r tions oi.' varying"` 'sizes i )and contours, cooperating with'4 said body' portionv to produce a'gure of 'a' preconceived design," a.v plurality of individual gas cells Ljlnnatabl to different sizes r independently inserta vevvithili thecooperating portions of saidL envelope, ach'jce'll embodying a. neck adapted to protrude'fffroin said envelope 'for inlating said cellsfwhen'vlocatedthereln; in a predetermined relationshiv H leachother and -to the portions of the envelo in'vwhich they are'to function,- means integral fwith said envelope for concealing the said jenvelop'e an uninterrupted external surface and means associatedwith said envelope to which captive :or for transporting it.

' 2.19.l balloon adapted to take a preconceived form in: representation 'of an 4animalorfthe like including 'an envelope'embodying portions formed to simulatecorresponding parts of the animal to be represented, a plurality of individually inatable, gas'cellsrof different sizes independently insertable'l-within] said envelope portions, each cell including an extension shaped to' protrude fromjsaidenvelope for inating said cells when positioned therein in a predetermined` relationship to Veach other `andto the parts oi the en- 

